Alternative Names
Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome
Definition of Progeria
Progeria is a disease that produces rapid aging, beginning in childhood.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Progeria is a rare condition that is remarkable because its symptoms strongly resemble normal human aging, but occur in young children.
Signs and tests
The signs include:
Treatment
There is presently no treatment for progeria.
Expectations (prognosis)
Progeria is associated with a short lifespan. The average patient survives to the early teens. However, some patients can live up to 30 years. The cause of death is usually related to the heart or a stroke as a result of the progressive atherosclerosis.
Review
Chad Haldeman-Englert, MD, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Section on Medical Genetics, Winston-Salem, NC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 8/26/2009
